Walpole, Horace (1717-1797), was an English letter writer and author. Even at a time when personal letters were considered a minor art form, Walpole’s huge correspondence is remarkable. His witty letters provide an entertaining documentary of life in English high society. They report social and political gossip and express Walpole’s opinions on literature and the arts.
As a scholar fascinated by medieval life, Walpole greatly influenced the Gothic revival of the late 1700’s. He transformed Strawberry Hill, his house in Twickenham, into a miniature Gothic castle. He built a printing press nearby, and published many of his own writings. His most influential literary work is The Castle of Otranto (1764). This tale of terror and the supernatural was the first of what became known as Gothic novels.
Walpole was born on Sept. 24, 1717, in London. He was the youngest son of Sir Robert Walpole, the first prime minister of England. Horace Walpole served in Parliament from 1741 to 1768. In 1791, he succeeded to the family title as the fourth Earl of Orford. He died on March 2, 1797.
